Lights out in Paris, Fire's on in Greece, Whale Puke's up on the Beach

Party like it's 1994: In 2012, U.S. carbon dioxide emissions were the lowest they've been since 1994. Way to go, everybody! Now, pat yourself on the back and get back to work. Obama has a goal to cut our 2005 emissions level by 17 percent over the next decade. The recent drops in CO2 emissions are the results of a growing renewables industry, better energy efficiency, the boom in natural gas use (courtesy of fracking), and of course, burning less coal. Guardian

City of Lights goes dark: Paris is dimming the lights, along with the rest of France. The French have decreed that come July, every shop and office building in the country must shut off their lights upon closing. The goal is to reduce light pollution and save the equivalent of 750,000 homes’ worth of CO2 emissions. Don’t worry, tourists, the Eiffel Tower and other hotspots will still be aglow … plus, you might actually be able to see the stars. Oooo la la! New York Times

Greek tragedy: As the Greek financial crisis continues, many households have found themselves unable to pay for oil to heat their homes. Instead, the Greeks are lighting fires to keep warm, resulting in an uptick in illegally felled trees and an eerie smog. While still not as bad as Beijing’s, the pollution is causing environmental and health problems in a country that has enough problems already. Huh, who woulda thunk it: environmentalists are now asking the country to go back to burning oil. The Atlantic

Homeward bound: Who needs a groundhog to tell us when winter's over when you have a great white? Move over Punxsutawney Phil, we've got Mary Lee now. Scientists have been tracking Mary Lee, one of only two great whites ever tagged in the North Atlantic, for weeks, curiously watching her winter voyage south to Florida. But now she’s back north, hanging around Long Island. As to why Mary Lee returned so soon, the researchers admit they pretty much have no clue and that still much needs to be learned about these mysterious sharks. Oh ok, Phil, you can have your job back. Associated Press

Drought + cows = jerky? Not exactly. Cargill, a major meat processing plant in Texas, will close today, as the effects of the country's megadrought trickle up the food chain. The drought-induced corn price hikes have slowed the production of beef, forcing Cargill to reduce hours so dramatically that finally its only option was to close. We knew eating meat was bad for the environment, but now it turns out, the environment is bad for eating meat. Bloomberg Businessweek

Eau de vomette: It was just an average day on the beach for Ken Wilman, until he happened on a 7-pound hunk of whale vomit worth $50K. Called ambergris, the vomit helps whales with digestion before the mammals hock it into the ocean. Because ambergris smells sweet over time, perfume companies love it. So ... what's that whale puke you're wearing? BBC